A trio of fresh faces will join the Hollister School District’s Board of Education at a time where the governing body is in the process of selecting a new superintendent.
Challengers Carla Torres-Deluna, Stephen Kain and Jan Grist finished one-two-three in the six-candidate race for three at-large seats on the HSD dais, according to San Benito County’s unofficial Nov. 6 election results.
Torres-Deluna, a 43-year-old social worker, topped the field with nearly 22 percent of the votes followed by retired educators, 66-year-old Kain with 20 percent and 64-year-old Grist with close to 19 percent.
Current Board President Patricia Moore finished fourth with just under 18 percent of the votes. She was 128 votes shy of Grist.
Rounding out the 2018 candidate pool were challengers Roxanne Stephens (11 percent) and Brande Barrett (10 percent).
The three election day winners will join Robert Bernosky and Elizabeth Martinez on the HSD board.
They will all have a say in the hiring of the district’s next education leader. Retired
administrator Matthew Barr has been filling in as interim superintendent for the district until a permanent superintendent is hired on. Former superintendent Lisa Andrew unexpectedly resigned over the summer after serving two years with HSD, and Barr was selected July 6 to work as the interim supe on a 46-day contract. The district hired a search firm to help in the hiring process.
